It recently became the first such program in B.C. to be recognized by Accreditation Canada. To date 5,000 Telehealth consultations have saved an estimated 1.5 million kilometres of travel.
Increasingly specialists use it to track patients' health in remote Island communities. Ease of use is one reason some specialists resist making the jump to on-line consultations.
Oncologists aren't the only users, but Telehealth's biggest champion is oncologist Dr. Brian Weinerman. The Vancouver Island Health Region now links 15 Island communities using the video conferencing system, from Nanaimo to such remote points as Sointula and Zeballos.
Private Telehealth rooms allow patients to undergo remote examination or consultation alone, or with a nurse's assistance. Studies in 2007 comparing face-to-face doctor interviews with Telehealth proved it can improve health-care accessibility in remote communities.
"We said this is the way to do business," Weinerman said.
He acknowledges some doctors are resistant to using it.
Two Telehealth centres at the B.C. Cancer Centre allow Victoria oncologists to easily switch from in-patient to out-patient consultations routinely through their working day.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Darrell Bellaart
Quelle/Source: Canada, 21.05.2011
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